Can I add my wife to my Health insurance plan

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Harpa, babies are not on insurance as a dependent the moment they are born, a newborn is covered under his or her mothers name up to 30 days after birth if they are sick. After 30 days a child must be enrolled under their own name. Most babies born in the USA are registered for a SS number before they leave the hospital. Home births have the same option to register for a SS number.

These are the Business Rules that most insurance operate under.

Again, most insurance will not add a spouse if they are not register as a legal alien in the US, but there are some insurance companies that have different Business Rules for their employees.

I did not suggest that he should have insured here if she was not in the US. I said immigration is a qualifying event.

I was just responding to the fact that he thought a SSN was required for insurance. It is not. Insurance companies just like to use it because it is convenient.

[novedsac 355]

you only can add family members to the insurance health plan in two occasions:

- life event: birth of a child or marriage: you have 30 days from that date to do so

- during the enrollment period in November.

No.

You can also add your spouse if his/her has lost their health insurance (eg, job loss) or their monthly health insurance premium has changed by greater than $50. A spouse may also be added if they change job and/or residence, dependent upon the particular rules of the employer (immigration is a change of residence). A child can also qualifies for adding to your insurance if previoulsy covered under your spouse's insurance under the circumstances cited previoulsy. Children could also be added to your policy within 30 days of divorce if they were previously covered by the ex-spouse.

A change of jobs is also a qualifying event which allows the addition of spouse and/or children (and/or eligible partners, depending on the plan) outside of the open enrollment period.

[No name 88 48]

Immigration is also a qualifying event. Talk to higher-ups and don't take no for an answer. Good luck.

[Den/Tan 1]

Hi,

My wife came around 10 days ago with CR1 visa, she already got her SSN and I want to add her to my health insurance plan.

But my employer is telling me that I can't add my wife to my health insurance plan, but I am not sure about that.

Can anyone give me hands up, how exactly this process should work?

Thank you.

I added my wife after marriage. Even though she can't use it because she is still in Russia.

When She arrives, she will have insurance.

You are suppose to add her when you get married.

Usually Insurance companies will not let you add unless it's a life changing event.

Marriage is a life changing event.

You have a deadline after the Life changing event.

If you didn't do it before the deadline it's too late.

That was my experience. Maybe you can find a loophole.

[No name 88 48]

Marriage is considered a qualifying event. As I understand it, by law, they have to allow you to add her.

He's been married for over a year. Marriage is a qualifying event but most plans have an enrolment window of 30-90 days. If not done in that time period you have to wait until open enrollment usually in the 4th quarter of each year. My plan doesn't list immigration as a qualifying event.

[ATPEACE 43]

Under most insurance immigration falls under the same Business Rule as adoption.

[novedsac 355]

Again, most insurance will not add a spouse if they are not register as a legal alien in the US, but there are some insurance companies that have different Business Rules for their employees.

Rubbish.

My ex, an illegal alien for 15yrs, was always covered under my insurance plans - six employers up and down the eastern seaboard during that time. These were nationally rated plans. Never once was there ever a question of her residency status in the US and she gave the dental and health plans quite a workout over the years.

You also are not required to provide a SSN for health care coverage - most like it for ease of tracking - but if you stick to your guns you can get a different number to be used to track your dependents' coverage.

Perhaps most people jump the gun and start off the coversation by "I would like to add my newly immigrated wife to my insurance ..." or "Can I add my lovely wife even through she hasn't gotten her Green Card yet?" Why offer up any unnecessary information ... all they need is the employee's information and the dependent's name and date of birth and details of the qualifying event (in my case, many years ago, this was simply a copy of the marriage certificate).

[ATPEACE 43]

Rubbish.

My ex, an illegal alien for 15yrs, was always covered under my insurance plans - six employers up and down the eastern seaboard during that time. These were nationally rated plans. Never once was there ever a question of her residency status in the US and she gave the dental and health plans quite a workout over the years.

You also are not required to provide a SSN for health care coverage - most like it for ease of tracking - but if you stick to your guns you can get a different number to be used to track your dependents' coverage.

Perhaps most people jump the gun and start off the coversation by "I would like to add my newly immigrated wife to my insurance ..." or "Can I add my lovely wife even through she hasn't gotten her Green Card yet?" Why offer up any unnecessary information ... all they need is the employee's information and the dependent's name and date of birth and details of the qualifying event

(in my case, many years ago)

That was the case many years ago, things have changed. Every Insurance has the option to state what is a qualify life changing event, most use what is considered o be the norm.

[belinda63 2,981]

Best answer to this since it is specific to his particular insurance plan is to contact them directly and ask if her immigrating is considered a life-changing event. If the insurance plan says yes, good to go, if they say no, full stop. Insurance is a private program and outside a few required mandates they make their own rules.

[Ashley903 7]

I was able to add my husband on my insurance but he entered on the k1 visa--so b/c we married that was a life event that allowed me to modify my benefits and add him.

He does have his SSN which I believe was needed to add him--but he has an insurance card and everything now.

Each carrier may work differently and the best thing to do is contact them to determine your options

[David & Diana R 1,005]

Marriage is considered a qualifying event. As I understand it, by law, they have to allow you to add her.

They might be required to allow you to add her but of course they have no obligation to pay any portion of her premium. Perhaps you are asking for the wrong thing. At least in Hawaii employers are only required by law to pay 50% of a single health insurance premium. I added my wife before she got here so she was covered the day she landed from the Philippines. Of course I am paying an additional 375.00 a month for her additional premium, but you can't go without health insureance now thanks to the head guy at the White House. Remember when he promised "No one will ever be fined or penalized for not signing up for heatl care insurance."? Yeah right.... ow because your wife is here and she does not have insuracne she will be fined...You might have to go to the federal government web site to get her insured. Better hurry though because you will likely get fined if she is not signed up soon. The deadline is approaching very very soon.

Good luck and God Bless

Edited February 27, 2014 by David & Zoila

[Caryh 5,206]

I can't add my wife when we got married, we did that a year ago oversees.

Even didn't have SSN.

You can't add somebody without SSN.

The not allowing someone to get health insurance without a SS number is a common complaint, it is also totally incorrect. They are not allowed to deny someone because they do not have a SSN.

I got the same response from my employer provided health insurance. We needed to go up the ladder to get my wife on the policy.

[fatblackcat 8]

I assume we are talking CR-1/IR-1. According to my health insurance provider, immigrating spouse is a life changing event and that in the absence of a SSN, the passport number will do. Must be done within 30 days of arrival.

[Ketsuban 1,034]

We fell foul of the 30 day rule too. Totally had no idea about it, but it's a moot point now since his employer dropped their insurance scheme because of the ACA anyway.

He hasn't bought any insurance on the marketplace site yet. Firstly because he could never get it to work, and secondly because the premiums were outrageously high for little benefit. I'm not sure what we'll do when I get there, but hopefully when I get a job, we'll be able to afford insurance that has a deductible lower than $12,000.

[David & Diana R 1,005]

I guess Hawaii has much better laws about healthcare. Employers here, for as long as I can remember, have been required to pay at least 50% of a single plan. All full time employees must have health insurance. (Yes whether they like it or not). It is mandatory by state law.

I informed my health care provider, HMSA (Blue Cross) of my marriage and my wife's pending arrival in the USA. They allowed me to add her PRIOR to her arrival here so she would be covered the day she landed. She was added effective July 1 and landed here with me on July 20 with health insurance in place. We were married one year earlier but our laws apparently require insurance companies to add people in these life changing events. (Immigration) It appears that state laws vary. Lucky we live Hawaii!

P.S. My wife did not have a social security number or a green card when she landed yet had insurance in place.

Aloha

Edited February 27, 2014 by David & Zoila